History
The bridge was commissioned on 18 October 1975, after three years of construction. Including its 404 m central span, the 720 m metal structure held, at its construction, the world record length for a cable-stayed metallic bridge.
In 1992, the Loire-Atlantique general council took over the Saint-Nazaire SAEM, the contractor for the creation and operation of the bridge. Access to the bridge became toll-free on 1 October 1994.
The building was returned to the department's general council road heritage organization, which has been responsible for its management and maintenance since 1 August 1995. It has improved trading between the north and the south shores of the estuary considerably.
In 1975, the bridge was the longest one ever built in France. Moreover, it held the world record for the longest cable-stayed bridge for eight years.
Traffic rules and regulations
The speed limit is 70 km/h. Certain or even all vehicles may restricted during strong winds (starting at 80 km/h for cyclists).
The general council has implemented a lane management system for the bridge. The reversible lanes allow, during the day or special events, for a second lane to be dedicated to the busier way. The system has folding barriers, with illuminated red studs that are embedded in the asphalt, and road sign frames that allow for illuminated road signs (green arrow/orange or red cross) to indicate the way that is assigned to each of the three lanes.
Unique in France, the system went live on 25 August 2010 and is regarded as "experimental". In fact, it is a requirement from the state since the traffic code mandates white markings on the ground. The Loire-Atlantique general council has, therefore, received a one-year permit that has renewed every year since then.
However, the illuminated beacons have become too fragile because of the LEDs.
Also, the increased traffic during the summer causes numerous traffic jams despite the system.
To offer an alternative way of crossing the river for pedestrians and cyclists during the summer (May to September), in June 2010 the general council considered a river shuttle service between Saint-Nazaire and Mindin. Because of its prohibitive cost, the idea was abandoned in December 2011.
The only regular coach lines using the bridge and providing intercity connections between Saint-Nazaire and the Pays de Retz region are those of the Lila network (routes 15, 16 and 17). Route 17 vehicles are fitted with eight bicycle-only spaces.
A cable-stayed bridge has one or more towers, from which cables support the bridge deck. A distinctive feature are the cables or stays, which run directly from the tower to the deck, normally forming a fan-like pattern or a series of parallel lines. This is in contrast to the modern suspension bridge, where the cables supporting the deck are suspended vertically from the main cable, anchored at both ends of the bridge and running between the towers. The cable-stayed bridge is optimal for spans longer than cantilever bridges and shorter than suspension bridges. This is the range within which cantilever bridges would rapidly grow heavier, and suspension bridge cabling would be more costly.
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